There is a conventional communication system which uses an information processing apparatus, such as a word processor or a personal computer, connected via a modem or the like to a telephone line or which has such information processing apparatuses serially connected together using RS-232C (as defined by the Electronic Industries Alliance) or the like. Such a system stores data of a string of characters (hereinafter called "character string data") that has been received through communication in a file in an external storage section that comprises, for example, a floppy disk drive (FDD) in order to record the received data. In the case where an information processing apparatus is connected to a BBS (Bulletin Board System) to receive (or download) necessary information, all the data from the declaration of the beginning of reception until the declaration of the end of the reception is written in a file in an FDD or the like. That is, a text including menus and messages and control data as well as the necessary character string data which is to be received from the host side are written in a file.
As such, unnecessary text and control data or the like besides the necessary character string data are written in a file at the time of reception, and the conventional data receiving apparatus needs a large file and thus suffers from ineffective use of its memory.
In order to receive only needed information and thereby prevent the file size from increasing, it is necessary to finely instruct the declaration of the beginning of reception and the declaration of the end of the reception. Such an instruction is likely to result in an erroneous operation and involves a tiresome operation.